3-Cushion
LOMMEL - The Superprestige wants to set a new tone, with more entertainment in the billiard room in a tournament with many highlights and lots of suspense. The players, who started the quarter finals on Thursday night, entered the arena with masks, wigs, white hats and sunglasses.
The Superprestige has become mainstream, the differ as to the responses on the Kozoom chat and acebook, because not everyone likes the setting with Frédéric Caudron, Eddy Merckx, Eddy Leppens and Roland Forthomme adorned in a carnival look.
The most important thing is billiards, of course, all the rest is part of the great show. Once that Kurt Ceulemans, the speaker, with his cruel sense of humor, has announced the players, the masks, wigs and cigars disappear and billiards is taken very serious again.
Does it disrupt the concentration, such an entrance before the match? The eight quarter-finalists didn’t seem to lose their focus at all, although there was a relapse of averages in the second half of the evening matches. The level in the first round was extremely high, the tension was palpable in the match between Frédéric Caudron and Francis Forton and later even more in the fight between Eddy Leppens and Roland Forthomme.
And there was a lot of amazing and wonderful three cushion to enjoy at the tables. Spectators were on the edge of their seats in the Adelberg’s full house.
The highlights of the evening?
Well, of course the thrilling sensation of these quarters: Eddy Leppens’ stunning comeback in his match against Roland Forthomme. The audience favorite in this Superprestige faced a 32-22 backlog when he started to fight back with a twelve run in the 28th inning, what made it to a 34-32 lead.
In the dying minutes of the match, on a 39-39 score, Leppens finished first and Forthomme equaled from the break. Penalties had to decide about win or lose, like in the final match of the Belgian championship between Forthomme and Leppens.
Then, in an emotional final, Forthomme won the game and the title after two shoot-outs: 1-1 in the first, 5-1 in the second for the new Belgian champion.
This night, in the spotlights of his own billiard room, Leppens took his bloody revenge: first 2-2 heat, under a blistering tension. In the next session Leppens started with five and Forthomme replied with two.
More highlights?
The battle for the win between Frédéric Caudron and Francis Forton, decided by one single carom.
Frédéric Caudron analyzed after the match: ,,It was a very difficult game for me. Francis (Forton) was very strong, but luckily for me, he missed a few good positions at the end.’’
The late misses were crucial: with a 38-34 backlog, Forton came back in the final phase with a run of four. He missed the fifth when his cue ball just passed the third ball, leaving the corner. Then, Caudron closed with a simple two.
For the equalizer, Forton needed two caroms. He scored from the break, but missed the 40th point, a round the table shot, which was played just a little too thick (40-39 in 21, 1.905/1.857) .
The surprise of the evening? Peter Ceulemans’ elimination by Peter De Backer, the Belgian cup holder, who was the better in both offensive and defensive playing over his opponent, who had such a tremendous start of the week. De Backer was dominating from start to finish and ran out with six: 40-27 in 27 (1.481/1.000).
Eddie Merckx took an early lead in the first evening session against Steven van Acker and built up a gap to 17-5 in eight innings. The young West Flanders man scribbled back with six to 19-13, but then saw his opponent slowly take a decisive advantage. Merckx finished the match 40-26 in 26 innings (1.538/1.000).
The semifinals are at 18.00 today (Friday), followed by the final game and the ceremony.
Frédéric Caudron faces Peter De Backer, Eddy Merckx plays against Eddy Leppens.
All matches live on Kozoom. A Premium pass is required.